For the Love of Grace, Part II
by Khaemera
Summary: Regulus Black left behind a bereaved widow after his journey into Voldemort's cave. Grace has spent the last fifteen years in the Black mansion, watching as her in-laws passed away. When Sirius returns to his family's ancestral home after his escape from Azkaban, he discovers a sister-in-law he didn't even know existed. Not necessary to read Part I first, but it is recommended.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Grace's story began with my short (compared to some of my others) fanfic called "For the Love of Grace". I fell in love with her character, and the way she interacted with the Blacks and the other pureblooded families. I decided to continue by exploring how she would get on with the last remaining member of her adopted family, her brother-in-law: Sirius.**

**_Grace (n): unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification_**

"I'm warning you, Moony, this place is probably disgusting. No one's been in here since my parents died." Sirius Black looked over his shoulder at his best friend as he unlocked the door to his old family home at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. "It'll take a lot of elbow grease to get this place up to par for the Order."

Remus Lupin grinned and followed his friend into the house, looking around in amazement at the gloomy hangings and dark shadows in every corner. "You weren't exaggerating."

"Yuck." Sirius swiped at a cobweb that had gotten caught in his shaggy black hair. Fifteen years had gone by since that fateful day when Harry Potter survived an attack by the Dark Lord. Voldemort had since returned, and the Second Wizarding War was in full swing. Sirius had offered the use of his family home to the Order of the Phoenix, which had re-assembled after the death of Cedric Diggory the previous summer at Hogwarts.

Remus frowned. "Where should we begin?" he asked, surveying the dark hallway.

Sirius shrugged unenthusiastically. "The kitchen, I guess. Then we have somewhere to sit and eat while we're working." He led the way down the hallway to the kitchen, a large room paved with flagstones and with one wall dominated by a large fireplace. A long wooden table sat in the middle of the room. Remus conjured up a bucket with a simple wave of his wand, and walked over to the tap to fill it with water. He paused as he passed the fireplace. He had noticed something odd.

He turned to Sirius. "Hey, there's hot coals in here, Padfoot."

Sirius looked up for a moment before shrugging. "Probably Kreacher. Our house elf. I'm shocked he hasn't kicked the bucket yet. He's ancient."

Remus gave the fireplace one last, suspicious look before beginning to wipe down the wooden table methodically. He paused when he heard a floorboard creak directly overhead. "Sirius?"

"Mmm?" Sirius was on his hands and knees, digging in a cupboard and seeming to be completely unsuccessful in locating anything but a family of mice.

"There's someone here."

Sirius chuckled. "I told you, mate, Kreacher's probably creeping around spying on us. Don't be such a scaredy cat."

Another floorboard creaked, and Sirius sat up so quickly he cracked his head on a shelf. "What the-?" He gasped, holding his head with one hand while scrambling around in his pocket for his wand with the other.

Remus already had his wand drawn and was advancing on the door. "That's human, Sirius."

His friend looked bewildered. "My parents are dead. Reg died before I even left for Azkaban. There's no one left here, Moony."

"Who's there?" Remus called, his voice a deep growl. Sirius nodded his approval.

A female voice answered. "I could ask the same of you!" Remus and Sirius met each other's eyes, both of them completely baffled.

Sirius found his voice first. "My name is Sirius Black. I'm master of this house, so if I were you, I'd get going!"

There was a very pregnant pause. "Sirius? That can't be- he's in Azkaban!"

Remus looked mystified. Sirius cleared his throat. "Where the hell have you been?" he asked, arrogance creeping into his tone. "I escaped two years ago!"

The disembodied voice laughed. "Now I know I've gone mad. You can't escape from Azkaban."

Sirius looked annoyed that he was being laughed at. "Can too! I'm standing here, flesh and blood!"

Another pause filled the air before the two men heard the distinct sounds of someone descending the stairs. A petite form entered the doorway into the kitchen. Grace's robes were old and worn, but clean, and although she had aged, she was still beautiful. Her long brown hair cascaded down her shoulders, and she hadn't lost the aristocratic bearing that had been drilled into her from birth. She stared at Sirius, wide-eyed. "It can't be."

Remus looked to Sirius, completely at a loss as to who the woman might be. Sirius was squinting at the woman, his grey eyes narrowed. Suddenly, they widened with recognition. "Murdoch? Holy shit, is that you?"

She lifted her chin, looking more like her younger self as she straightened her shoulders and looked Sirius over coldly. "Mrs. Black, thank you."

Sirius blinked. "So, Reg did marry you."

"Of course he did," she said impatiently. "He married me as soon as he became of age."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Well, forgive me for being out of the loop as far as family gossip goes. I was disowned, you know."

Grace's eyes skimmed Remus with a complete lack of interest before they settled on Sirius again. "What are you doing here?"

Sirius had the decency to look embarrassed. "Cleaning up my house. I gave it to the Order."

Grace took a small step backwards. "The Order? Why is that still around? Voldemort died years ago."

Sirius and Remus exchanged glances. Had she been holed up here for the last fifteen years? "He's back," Sirius said bluntly. "Has been for several years now."

Grace looked as if Sirius had struck her. "How?"

Sirius shrugged. "No one knows."

After a moment's pause, Grace asked indignantly, "Who says it's your house? I'm the one that's lived here all this time!"

Sirius made a face. "Well, pardon me if being locked up in Azkaban for twelve years isn't a valid enough excuse for you. I was a bit preoccupied."

"Reg left this house to me," Grace said bluntly. "After your mother died-"

Sirius shook his head at the mention of his mother's death. "God, sometimes I feel like I tripped into the future. I missed so much."

Grace studied him for a moment. "She missed you, you know. It broke her heart when you left."

Sirius' expression made it clear that he did not think his desertion had that strong of an impact on the daily routine at Grimmauld Place. "That old bird hated me."

Grace shook her head. "No, she didn't. Don't say that."

"Reg was the favorite," he countered. "He was a better son than me because he was soft enough to go along with their pureblood mania. He was an idiot."

Remus knew immediately that his friend had gone too far. Grace pulled herself up to her full height, which wasn't very intimidating, and glared at Sirius. "How dare you come into my home and insult the dead!" she said loudly. "Just who do you think you are?"

"The heir, love," Sirius rejoined. "My blood trumps yours. This is a Black house."

"You're not a Black anymore," she spat. "You gave up any right to claim this place when you left."

Remus had heard enough. He stepped in between them, frowning at Sirius, whose mouth was working furiously as he tried to word his next outburst. "Stop this, Sirius! It's been fifteen years, none of this matters. Old family quarrels can wait until after we get this place cleaned up." He turned to face Grace, his tattered robes swishing across the flagstones. "Unfortunately, we've already given our word to the Order. They'll be moving in as soon as this place is ready. You are welcome to help us, if you like, but if not, I understand."

Grace looked Remus up and down curiously. "I remember you. You're Lupin- the boy that always hung out with Sirius and Potter. You're a half-blood."

Remus regarded her with barely concealed disdain. "I hardly think my blood matters here."

She shook her head. "That's not what I meant. I'm not judging you." She gave him a small smile. "It would kill Walburga to know her house was being used for the Order, you know that?"

Sirius snorted. "My brother wouldn't have been too pleased, either."

Grace stared him down. "Don't talk about things you don't understand."

Before Sirius could reply, Remus shook his head. "I appreciate your cooperation, Mrs. Black. I promise, the house will be well taken care of."

"Grace," she said softly. "My name is Grace."

Remus slowly advanced, bending down to kiss her hand in a manner reminiscent of her pureblood upbringing. He was pleased to see that his instincts had been correct; her pride assuaged, Grace smiled at him. "What's your Christian name, Lupin?"

"Remus."

She nodded. "Nice to meet you." She peered over his shoulder at Sirius. "Give me a moment to pack my things?" She paused. "May I take some of Regulus' belongings, as well?" Her voice shook a little on her dead husband's name.

"What are you talking about?" Sirius asked, perplexed.

Grace raised an eyebrow. "Don't you want me to leave? This is your home now."

Sirius shifted uncomfortably, feeling distinctly guilty for the way he had spoken to her earlier in defense of his claim. "You don't have to go," he said finally. "Remus and I will stay out of your way."

She considered him for a moment before nodding. "I'll take my supper in my room. Have Kreacher bring it up." Her tone had regained the tinge of arrogance that had expressed itself earlier.

Sirius bent a little at the waist in a polite bow. "As you please."

With a final look in their direction, Grace swept out of the room, leaving a shell-shocked silence in her wake. Finally, Remus met Sirius' eyes. "That was bizarre."

Sirius ran a hand through his shaggy black hair. He had earned a few grey strands over the years, but age had only served to magnify his good looks. After his time in the wizarding prison, he was not as strong as he once was, but the weight loss had accentuated his high cheekbones and angular chin- marks of his aristocratic birth. Remus- who from a young age had been plagued with a weak constitution- was jealous that his friend had aged so well. Sirius sank into one of the dust-covered chairs by the table. "I forgot Reg was married."

"You two didn't talk much," Remus observed wryly.

Sirius gave him a look that made the laughter die in his throat. "He was my baby brother, Moony," he said heavily. "How could I have forgotten about Grace?"

"You were in prison," Remus reminded him gently. "No one can blame you."

"It was my duty to care for her after my parents died," Sirius explained. "That's the way it's done. She's my brother's widow. I should have-"

"Leave it alone," Remus advised him. "She looks well enough."

"She's been alone all this time…" Sirius seemed to be talking to himself now, so Remus shrugged and went back to scrubbing the wooden table. After several minutes of deep contemplation, Sirius stood and went back to cleaning out the cabinet wordlessly.


	2. Chapter 2

"Gracie."

Grace looked up from her seat in the drawing room, where she had been absorbed in a novel. Her heart leapt to her throat for an instant when she saw the dark-haired figure in the doorway. Her mind soon caught up with her instinct, however, and she remembered that Regulus was long dead. She frowned. "Sirius."

He moved warily into the room, looking as if he expected her to curse him at any moment. He made himself comfortable on the arm of the chair she was sitting in, and Grace looked up at him with a grimace. "Make yourself at home," she said dryly.

His lips twitched into a trademark pureblood smirk. "Don't mind if I do." He grinned at her, but she regarded him with disdain. He frowned. "I came to apologize," he said simply, and Grace raised an eyebrow.

"Apologize?"

He shrugged. "I should have taken care of you after Reg died. You and Mum, even though we didn't get along. It's what was expected of me."

She looked away. "Don't worry about it."

Sirius reached down and tugged her novel from her hands, setting it on the table beside them. "No, I owe you an apology. I let you down."

"I said, forget it." Grace's voice was cold. She didn't want to be reminded of her loss, the fifteen years she had spent in this creepy old house in seclusion. Sirius needed to let the past remain in the past.

"Do you really hate me that much?" Sirius' voice was slightly pleading. "You don't remember when we used to play together as kids?"

She blinked. "That was a long time ago, Sirius." And he had deserted them years ago- Grace couldn't help but think he had deserved his time in Azkaban for turning his back on his family.

He tilted his head to one side and considered her, his actions reminding her of a dog. "Was Reg good to you?"

"Of course he was," she huffed. "How dare you assume that he was anything but a perfect gentleman."

Sirius let out a low chuckle. "Reg got mixed up with some bad stuff in the end," he pointed out. "I just wanted to make sure he did what was expected of him at home."

Grace met his eyes, curiosity and sadness swirling in their grey depths. She bit her lip before answering. "Considering that Reg was raised to be content in your shadow, I think he did quite well. You were the one who was supposed to be the heir; he wasn't prepared for it. And joining the Dark Lord was exactly what was expected of him at home. Your father pushed him into it. Orion and that creep Malfoy were always encouraging him to get the Mark."

Sirius looked as if her confession took him by surprise. "What do you mean, 'my shadow'? And, love, just so you're aware, the only ones who call him the Dark Lord are those who followed him."

Grace's glare effectively silenced his laughter. "Reg looked up to you, Sirius," she said quietly. "He wanted nothing more than to earn your approval. It nearly killed him to lose his brother."

An emotion that looked remarkably like grief flitted across Sirius' features like a shadow before his jaw set. "He knew how to earn my respect," he said sternly. "Instead he chose to win our parents' approval."

"He wasn't brave like you, Sirius," Grace explained, getting frustrated with his stubborn refusal to see any good in his brother. "He didn't have the strength to walk away from the only world he knew. And why would he? He was suddenly the heir to the Black fortune, a newlywed. He had responsibilities here."

Sirius looked thoughtful. "He said something about that," he mused, narrow lines appearing on his forehead as he thought. "The last time I saw him- he made a comment about being a Black until he died."

She held his gaze. "He was. He stayed loyal to the family. And to me."

Grace thought she saw jealousy flicker in his eyes before he blinked it away. "Did you love him?" he asked.

Caught by surprise, Grace answered honestly. "Very much."

He nodded. "Good. At least someone loved him for who he was and not what he could do for the family." He stood, running a hand through his shaggy hair. "I'm going to go help Remus. If you need me, we'll be in the kitchen." He picked her book up from the side table and handed it to her before loping out of the room.

Grace stared after him, her mind working frantically as she digested the first real conversation she had had in fifteen years. The relationship between the Black brothers seemed to be more complicated than she had ever thought possible.

**I know, I know, this is short, but this conversation was important to set up Sirius and Grace's interaction. More to come! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, lovelies. Apologies for the long wait. This is my last week in the UK before I head back to the States! It's not all fun and games, trust me- I have a 3000 word paper due Friday. Oh, well. I am not extremely happy with this chapter- I feel like it could have flowed better. Let me know what you think- as it is your opinion that matters! Read and review, and I will see what I can do about updating sooner rather than later!**

That night, Grace dreamt of Regulus. She was wandering through the cold, dark hallways of Grimmauld Place- a home that had held no happiness for her since his disappearance all those years ago. She heard quiet sobs in the shadows, and followed the sound to the library at the end of the hall. Regulus was crouched in the corner, his head ducked so that his dark hair concealed his face. Grace approached him warily. "Reg?"

He looked up, half of his face revealed by moonlight- the other still in shadow. Tears had left tracks down his cheeks. "Grace."

She moved closer, but he flinched away. Kneeling beside him, she asked softly, "Husband, what's wrong?"

His grey eyes met hers. "You've forgotten me." His tone was soft, but faintly accusatory.

"What?" She couldn't believe what he was saying. "I could never forget you."

He shook his head. "My brother..."

Before Grace could reply, she awoke, staring up at the dark ceiling in confusion and sorrow. She rolled over, pulling the comforter tight around her shoulders and frowning into her pillow. Sirius had only been here a day; she missed Regulus with all her heart-

She sat up suddenly, her brown curls tumbling around her shoulders. She had heard a noise- and this time, she knew she was awake. She paused, listening intently. There it was again- a keening cry of pain. Tossing the covers back, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and crossed the cold floorboards to her bedroom door. She turned the knob as quietly as she could and slipped through the door, inching towards the sound. Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared at her shoulder. "Grace."

She jumped, knocking her elbow against the wall. She grimaced, squinting at the tall, lithe form beside her. "Remus?"

"Go to bed." His voice was calm, but he sounded tired. "I'll take care of it."

She looked down the hallway at the last bedroom as the noise rent the air again. "Is that-?"

"Sirius." Remus sighed. "He's fine- it's just a dream. I'll go wake him."

"I can go," Grace offered. It broke her heart to hear him cry like that.

Remus frowned and shook his head. "He won't want to know that he woke you. It'll embarrass him. Just go to bed; I'll take care of it."

Grace wrapped her arms around herself as Sirius cried out in his sleep again. "Why does he-?"

Remus ignored her question, bowing to her slightly in a silent dismissal before disappearing down the corridor in a flurry of robes, the door snapping shut behind him. Grace stood in the doorway for several minutes, listening to Remus' calm tones behind Sirius' bedroom door. Within moments, Sirius was awake, his voice hoarse from crying as he answered his friend. Grace gripped the doorframe, leaning her head against the cool wood. What did Sirius dream about that had him so upset? And why did Remus act as if it were a common occurrence? She brushed a curl behind her ear and bit her lip, thinking. Was Azkaban really that awful? Or did Sirius cry out for the family he had lost- her family?

Grace climbed back into bed, curling up under the blankets and closing her eyes. But sleep never came.

* * *

The next morning, Sirius was the last one down to the kitchen for breakfast. Grace looked away at the sight of the dark circles under his eyes. Obviously, she wasn't the only one who had had problems going back to sleep the night before.

Remus set the steaming teapot down on the table and gave her a small smile. As he pulled out a chair, Grace spoke up. "Where's Kreacher? You shouldn't have to make breakfast, Remus."

He looked distinctly uncomfortable. "I don't mind."

"That stupid elf is useless," Sirius muttered under his breath. "Always has been."

"He is not," Grace countered. "He's always served me very well."

"Well, he would, wouldn't he?" Sirius' grey eyes, identical to his brother's, locked onto hers. "A faithful little Pureblood wife like you?"

Grace felt her back stiffen at the implied insult, but bit her tongue. She couldn't expect Sirius to be comfortable here- Grimmauld Place held nothing but bad memories for him. But that didn't give him any right to demean her.

Remus gave a slight cough. "What do you say we take the day off, Padfoot?" When Sirius looked over at him, he continued, "We could go to Hogsmeade, see Harry."

Sirius brightened visibly. "Sure."

"How can you go to Hogsmeade?" Grace asked. "You're on the run."

"Mind your own business," Sirius snapped, suddenly moody again.

"What is your problem, Sirius?" Grace burst out. "Why do you antagonize me every chance you get?"

"If you'd be silent, as a woman in your position should do, I wouldn't have to remind you of your place."

Grace was seething. "You, of all people, should not spout Pureblooded philosophy at me. This is my house."

"Not anymore." Sirius leaned back in his chair, his shaggy black hair falling in his eyes. Grace had the distinct impression that he was being contrary on purpose.

Before she could answer, Remus stood up. "Well, we should probably get going. I'll owl Harry." He stood in the doorway, arms crossed, until Sirius gave Grace one last look and stood to his feet. He gave her a stiff bow before leaving the room. Remus sighed. "I apologize," he said quietly. "He's in a bad mood-"

"Stay out of it, Moony," came Sirius' voice down the stairs.

Remus shrugged. "We'll be back this evening. Do you need anything while we're out?"

Grace looked away, her cheeks burning from Sirius' insults. "No," she said shortly.

Remus sighed heavily and left the room. Grace found herself suddenly wishing they had just left her alone in her misery.

**I know Sirius seems a little OOC in the end of this chapter- I wanted to convey how snappish he was from lack of sleep. Poor Remus is always caught in the middle! Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I apologize for the slow updates, friends. I hope to do better- I'm back in the swing of writing, so we will see how it goes! Remember, Sirius hasn't explained what really happened all those years ago when the Dark Lord fell, so Grace still assumes that he is guilty for both Peter Pettigrew's murder and the betrayal of the Potters. **

The next morning, the three of them sat together in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place, sharing a cup of tea. Remus and Sirius had spent the previous afternoon with Sirius' godson, Harry Potter. Grace had quickly made the connection, remembering Narcissa Malfoy's eyes gleaming with fear in the sitting room all those years ago when she had announced the Dark Lord's fall. She didn't understand why Sirius would want to spend time with the boy- after all, he _was_ responsible for the deaths of the poor boy's parents- wasn't he? Perhaps the oldest Black brother had more Slytherin in him than anyone gave him credit for. Surely he was now simply trying to side with the strongest wizard of the age, enemy of his old master or not.

Grace stirred her tea absentmindedly with a silver spoon, her head in her hand, musing to herself. Sirius frowned at her. "Why are you so day dreamy this morning?" he asked bluntly.

Grace sat back in her chair, leveling him with a cold look. "I'm trying to figure out why the Sorting Hat put you in Gryffindor at all."

"What are you talking about?" Sirius raised an eyebrow. Remus merely turned the page of his newspaper, ignoring them. His expression said that he was tired of their constant squabbling.

"Pettigrew," Grace said simply. "The Potters. Convenient, isn't it, that you waited until the last minute to join the Dark Lord? Too bad that backfired, isn't it?" She shivered, remembering the keening cries she had heard from his bedroom that night several days ago.

"I beg your pardon?" Sirius' voice was tight. "How dare you even speak the Potters' names to me!"

"Sirius." Remus' head had jerked up at the mention of the Potters, and his newspaper now lay forgotten on the table. He spoke quietly, but his voice carried an authority that Grace couldn't help but respect. Sirius ignored him.

"Your precious pureblood husband was the one running around murdering people, if my memory serves me correctly," Sirius sneered.

Grace felt her blood begin to boil. "Reg never murdered anyone." She paused, trying to slow her breathing. "He did his duty by this family, becoming a Death Eater. And how dare you criticize him, you hypocrite!" She bunched her robes in her fists, digging her nails into the faded fabric.

"Reg was an idiot for joining up with that crowd in the first place," Sirius snarled, ignoring the insult. "Stop defending him all the time!"

Grace stood up so quickly her chair clattered over onto the flagstones. "How dare you judge him for the choices he made without knowing the context! His place was _here_, Sirius, with us- and the only way he could remain where he belonged was to play along with their stupid schemes. He never wanted to hurt anyone. He didn't know it would end the way it did!"

"What, with my best friend and his wife dead, and their son an orphan?" Sirius snapped back.

Remus let out a loud cough, but was ignored.

"Reg had nothing to do with that, and _you_- of all people- know it."

"But those are the kind of people he supported!"

"Please, stop this!" A wailing voice joined the conversation, the keening, desperate sound enough to effectively pause the argument. Sirius and Grace both turned to see Kreacher sitting by the door to the kitchen, his hands clapped over his abnormally large ears as he cried. "Master Regulus was a good man- Master Sirius should not talk about Master Regulus in such a way!"

Grace, whose opinion of Kreacher had changed for the better after he remained loyal to her for so many years (and as a result of Regulus' insistence that she treat him more fairly), hurried over to kneel beside the elf. She gently pulled his hands away from his head and drew him into her lap, like an oversized doll. She stroked his ugly head and whispered to him soothingly until his sobs slowed. Finally, Kreacher hiccupped and sat up, fixing Sirius with a deadly glare. "Master Sirius does not know how Master Regulus suffered! If only he knew what Master Regulus had done for all creatures and wizards- he would not speak of him with such anger!"

Grace's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about, Kreacher?" When the elf turned to give her a guilty look, she pressed, "What did Regulus do? What do you know that I don't?"

Kreacher curled up into a ball on her lap and started crying again. "Master Regulus made Kreacher promise that he would not tell! Master Regulus was afraid that Mistress Grace or Mistress Walburga would be in danger if Kreacher told!"

Sirius had risen to his feet, his face pale. His hands, curled into fists at his sides, were white at the knuckles. "Kreacher, I swear by all that's holy, if you have hidden something from her about my brother's whereabouts for all these years, I'll bash your stupid brains out on this floor!"

"Sirius!" Remus sounded scandalized. He, too, stood to his feet, and walked over to kneel beside Grace and Kreacher. "Kreacher, please," he said softly, extending a hand to the house elf. "Do you know where Grace's husband is?"

Kreacher sniffled and nodded. It was an expression of his deep loyalty to Grace that he didn't flinch away from the touch of a werewolf.

Grace's face had screwed up into an expression of grief. "Where is he, Kreacher? Is he alive?" Her voice shook as she exclaimed, "Please, God, tell me he's alright!"

Kreacher refused to respond. Remus gave Grace a serious look. "I think you'll have to be firm with him," he advised.

Grace picked up the little body she was holding and turned him around to face her. "Kreacher, I command you to tell me where Reg is." When the elf shook his head, she said coldly, "I don't care what he told you, I am mistress of this house now. You will do as I say."

Sirius remained surprisingly silent as Grace pressed her claim as Kreacher's rightful owner.

The little elf squirmed on Grace's lap for a moment before bursting out, "Kreacher does not know where the cave is! Kreacher can only Apparate there!"

"Cave?" Grace's face had gone blank. "What cave?"

"The cave of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" Kreacher's eyes were bugging out of his head. "The cave where Master Regulus made Kreacher take him!"

"Where is he now?" Grace was becoming frantic. "Kreacher, is he alive?"

Kreacher hung his head. "Kreacher is very sorry, Mistress! Master Regulus made Kreacher promise not to save him; Kreacher was supposed to go straight home and destroy the locket! Kreacher could not do it- Kreacher was not able to obey!" He began to wail again, punching himself with his fists.

"You're talking in riddles, elf," Sirius spat. He looked as upset as Grace felt. "Spit it out. What happened?"

The house elf reluctantly stopped hitting himself and told the group how he had gone with the Dark Lord to the cave the day before Regulus disappeared. He explained how upset Regulus had been when he told him what had happened- how he had been left to die. Finally, with a lot of hiccupping and false starts, Kreacher told them all the story of Regulus' last act- an act of complete sacrifice.

When he finished, Grace was sobbing, having finally understood what had happened to her husband all those years ago. Sirius was kneeling beside her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders in a comforting embrace as he cried silent tears into her hair. Remus simply looked astounded. "All over a locket?" he demanded. "Sirius' brother died for a piece of jewelry?"

Kreacher nodded miserably.

Suddenly, Grace struck out in her grief. "You stupid, useless elf, how could you? You let him die when there might have been a chance for you to save him! You chose a goddamn locket over your Master?" She began beating the little elf in her lap. Kreacher let out a series of yelps as Grace took her sorrow and anger out on him.

Sirius finally restrained her by grabbing her wrists and holding her hands high over her head. "Grace, stop! Killing the beast won't bring him back."

"He should die," she spat, her face streaked with tears. "He let Reg- he left him, Sirius!"

"Reg told him to," Sirius rejoined firmly. "It's what he wanted. We may not understand it, but that was his wish. And it was also his wish that Kreacher not tell you," he said quickly when he saw Grace open her mouth to argue.

Remus, the only one not paralyzed by grief or disbelief, spoke again to Kreacher. "Why was the locket so important?"

Grace stopped struggling against Sirius' grip and watched the elf expectantly.

Kreacher shook his head. "Kreacher does not know. Master Regulus told Kreacher to destroy it!" His large eyes filled with tears. "Kreacher was not able to obey!"

"Where is it?" Remus asked.

Sirius cut in, knowing how to deal with recalcitrant house elves. Kreacher had no choice but to obey an order from anyone in the Black family- including him. "Bring it to me, Kreacher, if you still have it."

Kreacher vanished with a _pop_. He reappeared moments later, handing Sirius a golden locket on a chain. Grace's breath caught. "That's Slytherin's locket," she whispered.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding." Shrugging, he handed it to Grace to examine with an air of nonchalance.

"How in the world did Regulus manage to find that?" Remus asked under his breath.

"And why did he die for it?" Grace murmured, turning the piece of jewelry over in her hand. She shivered. The necklace gave her the creeps for some reason.

Sirius was watching her, frowning. "Give that here," he ordered suddenly, and Grace obeyed. He flipped the locket over on his palm and tried to pry it open, with no success. His face darkened. "This is Dark magic," he said softly. "Moony," he said, his voice suddenly urgent, "take a look at this and tell me if it doesn't give you the heebie-jeebies."

Grace would have laughed at his choice of words if they hadn't exactly described what she had felt while holding the locket. "What's wrong with it?" she asked.

Remus was shaking his head fervently. "It can't be- no one knows how to do this. This is Dark, dangerous magic. It's been banned for centuries-"

"What is it, Moons?" Sirius bit out impatiently.

Remus glared at him sternly. "This," he said, brandishing the piece of jewelry in one hand, "is a Horcrux."

Grace and Sirius just stared at him, dumbfounded. Grace was the first one to find her voice. "So, Reg is-"

Sirius shot her a sharp look. "Reg wasn't that skilled at Charms, sweetheart, no matter how good he may have been to you. He was simply not capable of performing this kind of magic."

A small squeak escaped the house elf perched next to Grace's knee. The three humans jumped, having completely forgotten Kreacher's presence. "Master Regulus wanted to destroy the locket, Mistress," Kreacher reminded her softly. "The locket belonged to the Dark Lord."

Grace felt Sirius stiffen beside her. "This was Voldemort's?" he asked loudly, gesturing towards the locket, which Remus had brought up to his eyes and was examining closely.

Kreacher shivered. "The Dark Lord has no name!" he shrieked. "Master Sirius must not say his name!"

Sirius shook his head. "Fear of a name gives the thing more power," he said curtly. "And no one calls him the Dark Lord except for his followers, you stupid elf."

Grace glared at him. "Kreacher belonged to your parents," she reminded him. "Do you think they ever called him anything different?"

"Wait," Remus said slowly, his soft but serious voice carrying over the growing argument between the other two. "If this is a Horcrux, it belonged to Voldemort, and we know that Reg tried to destroy it- that means…"

The four of them stared down at the small, gold locket, dangling from Remus' fingers, Grace's earlier accusations against Sirius forgotten as they absorbed the truth. Just as Sirius had traces of Slytherin traits in his personality, so his little brother had echoes of Gryffindor courage in his soul. Regulus Black hadn't been a true Death Eater, after all.

**I've already begun the next chapter, so I hope to have the next update posted very soon. Thanks for sticking with this story, chickadees! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Next chapter! Once I started it this morning, I couldn't stop. :D Hope you enjoy! Just a quick note, there is some language- well, you know Sirius' temper.  
**

Grace sat in the drawing room, her knees drawn up against her chest, staring at the tapestry of the Black family tree that hung on the wall. She hadn't truly accepted Regulus' death until that evening several years ago when she had been sitting in this very chair, reading a book. The flames in the grate were throwing flickering shadows across the wall, and a log had settled onto the hot coals, the sap in its bark igniting with a loud _pop_. Grace had jumped, looking up at the sound, and it was then that her gaze had landed on the tapestry. Where Regulus' portrait had once smiled out at her among green and silver threads, now a cream-colored skull grinned grotesquely at her.

She stared at the skull now, her heart wrenching. It had been fifteen years- why did he still have such a hold on her heart? She smiled to herself. Because Regulus had been the only one to show her any kindness as a child. And now, to hear of his sacrifice- his nobility- it just made the ache in her chest worse.

She fought back her tears, swallowing with difficulty as the door creaked open. Sirius' voice called out softly, tentatively. "Grace."

She turned away angrily. "Leave me alone," she spat. "All this time, you have been giving me grief over how much of a disappointment Reg was to you- and now the tables have turned." She shot him a glare. "He was a better person than you could ever hope to be, Sirius."

The older man frowned. "Why do you hate me so much?" he asked bluntly. "I know you were a Slytherin, and you supported Voldemort like a good little pureblood, but seriously. You can't still believe in that maniac."

"Don't you?" She turned away again.

Sirius came to stand beside her, reaching out and taking her chin in his hand, turning her face to look at him. "He can rot in hell," he said simply. "Him and all of his followers. They are nothing more than bloodthirsty, power-seeking fools- all of them."

"And the Potters?" Grace was almost afraid to ask. She wasn't surprised when Sirius' face contorted into an expression of grief.

"I didn't kill them," he said. "But I might as well have. I was supposed to be their Secret Keeper; I was supposed to keep them safe. But I was a coward. I thought Voldemort would come after me, and I was afraid- afraid that I wouldn't be able to withstand the torture I knew he would subject me to. I convinced them to use Peter instead. I figured no one would guess that a cowardly little fool like that would be their Secret Keeper." His features twisted, anger flashing behind his grey eyes. "And I was right- except he was already following someone else."

"The Dark Lord," Grace whispered, piecing the rest of the story together.

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "We all knew that someone was passing information along to him. More fool me, I thought Remus was the traitor. It took us some time to get over that once I escaped Azkaban."

"But you killed Pettigrew," Grace said softly, a question in her voice. "Surely that is a good thing."

Sirius laughed again, but there was an undercurrent of bitterness in it. "I thought I killed him," he corrected her. "He got away. Did you know that he is an Animagus? Turns himself physically to match the rat's personality he has."

Grace blinked. "What?"

"That's how Voldemort came back," he explained. "Little shit went sniveling back to his master and helped him right back to power. That's what we're dealing with now."

"But if he's alive- doesn't that clear your name?" Grace asked, confused.

Sirius snickered. "I don't plan on him turning himself in any time soon- and until that happens, who would believe me?"

Grace played with a string in her lap, biting her lip. "So, you're stuck here."

"I'm stuck here," he assured her. "But now that we know the truth, maybe we can stop arguing over Reg all the time."

Grace started to retort that he was the one who always got so touchy about the subject, but wisely decided to hold her tongue. She held out her hand. "Friends, then?"

Sirius grasped her small hand in his large one, smiling. "Friends."

"What about the Horcrux?" Grace asked.

Sirius' brows knit together as he thought about it. "Dumbledore," he said finally. "He'll know what to do with it."

* * *

That night, Sirius' cries woke her up again. She beat Remus to Sirius' bedroom door, frowning at how overwhelmingly exhausted he looked. Thinking to herself that she ought to send Kreacher for some Pepper-Up potion for him in the morning, she slipped inside.

The moon was nearly full, and its rays illuminated the room, casting silvery light across the bed where Sirius lay. He was tossing and turning, and beads of sweat stood out on his brow. Grace eased herself onto the bed and touched his bare shoulder lightly. He jerked away, still dreaming. "Lily," he sobbed. "James. Oh, Harry, my boy, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. It's all my fault." He began grinding his teeth. "I'll find you," he hissed. "You little shit- I'll find-"

Grace gripped his shoulder more firmly. "Sirius, wake up!" she commanded, and his grey eyes flew open. He scrambled away from her on the bed, his pupils wide with disorientation. "What-?"

"You were having a nightmare," she said simply. "I couldn't stand to hear your cry anymore, so-"

"A dream," Sirius breathed. "Another fucking dream." He dropped his head into his hands. "Every. Fucking. Night. If it's not Azkaban, it's James and Lily," he told her, his voice muffled as he spoke into his fingers. "I can't take this anymore." And to Grace's surprise, he started to cry.

She crawled onto the bed, pulling him close to her like one would a child, tucking his head into her breast. "Shhh," she soothed, rubbing his back in comforting circles. "Shhh, it was only a dream, Sirius. You're safe now."

"I know I am," he said loudly. "James, a-a-and Lily…"

Grace closed her eyes and continued to console him. "It's alright, Sirius. I know it hurts. Trust me." She tried not to think of Reg, the one she had lost in this terrible war, whose nearly identical older brother was now sobbing uncontrollably in her arms. How had her life come full circle like this?

Eventually, Sirius' sobs quieted, and she smoothed his black hair back from his face. "Feel better?" she asked, pulling back to look him in the face. His eyes were puffy, and his lip was trembling, but he seemed to otherwise be in control. He nodded, suddenly embarrassed.

Grace smiled softly, stroking his cheek. "It's okay, Sirius. I don't blame you. I cried every night for the longest time after Reg disappeared."

Sirius froze at his brother's name, sitting back suddenly. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said stiffly, looking away resolutely. Grace recognized the aristocrat in him struggling to hide behind the façade of formality. She decided it was best for her to leave. "Get some sleep, Sirius," she said curtly, sliding off of the bed and heading for the door. "I'll see you at breakfast." And with that, she closed the door.

**Reviews make me write faster! ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Surprise, lovelies! Another- extremely important- chapter. Warning: there are some adult themes in this chapter, but nothing too explicit. Enjoy! **

**P.S. There is a poll set up on my profile- I am sketching out a draft of another Regulus story, and I need a name for the main OC. Please stop by and let me know which name you like best- it's greatly appreciated! **

"We have to tell her, Sirius."

Sirius stood at the window in the dusty sitting room, staring angrily out at the rain that pelted the glass. "Why?" he asked, not turning around.

Remus sighed. "I can't just keep disappearing at the same time every month. She's not stupid."

"I don't think she even notices you are here, sometimes, Remus," Sirius stated, and Remus frowned.

"What's gotten into you today?"

Sirius shook his head, running a hand through his black hair. "Nothing."

"You're always angry," Remus said candidly. "But today is much worse than usual. Was the dream that bad last night?"

"I don't want to talk about it." The dreams had grown in intensity and clarity over the past few weeks. They felt so real- Sirius was exhausted from having to see that blown out house every night and know what lay inside. James. And Lily. His best friends.

"Look, I miss them, too, but-"

Sirius cut him off angrily. "You had nothing to do with their death!"

"Neither did you," Remus answered impatiently. "There was no way anyone could have known that Peter would-"

"Don't say that name to me," Sirius hissed, turning away from the window. "I want to kill something every time I hear it."

"You're changing the subject," Remus interrupted. "We need to tell Grace."

"About what?" Grace smiled as she entered the sitting room, a book in her hand.

"You always have perfect timing, don't you?" Sirius muttered. Out loud, he said, "Nothing."

"I'm a werewolf," Remus said frankly.

Grace raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Should I be worried?"

Sirius mirrored her expression, rather surprised at how well she was taking the information. "Aren't you?"

She shrugged. "Remus is a very courteous and controlled man, I'm sure he can handle his condition. Or at least find somewhere to change where he won't destroy my mother-in-law's furniture."

Remus smiled sheepishly. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about-"

"The armchair in your room? Yes, Kreacher's told me." Grace's eyes sparkled. "Oh well, accidents happen."

Sirius coughed in surprise. He couldn't believe how well she was handling the knowledge that a werewolf had been living under her roof for months- nor could he believe the jealousy that bubbled in his veins as she smiled at Remus.

"I'm not surprised," she said honestly. "I had a feeling." She studied Remus, taking in the older man's tattered robes and the dark circles under his eyes. "The Order has already brought an Metamorphmagus and Dumbledore himself into my home. Why not add a werewolf to the fun?"

"Well, then," Remus said, "You should know that Sirius-"

"Leave me out of this," Sirius said curtly. "I'm going out, anyway."

"Where are you going?" Grace asked as he swept out of the room. He did not reply.

Grace raised an eyebrow at Remus. "Care to explain why he's been so grumpy lately?"

Remus shrugged. "I wish I knew."

* * *

That night, Sirius walked into the library at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place at two o'clock in the morning, balancing a plate with a ham sandwich on top of a bottle of Firewhiskey. He had just returned from an afternoon as a dog, chasing squirrels in the rain and rolling in the wet grass outside Hogsmeade. He had hoped to see Harry there, forgetting that it was only Thursday. Harry would be in classes. He had run through the fields until he was exhausted, all thoughts of James and Lily and Harry and Reg and Grace- especially Grace- forgotten, returning only because he would rather eat a real meal than beg for scraps outside the Hog's Head.

He froze in the doorway when he noticed Grace curled up on the dark leather couch, sound asleep. A novel lay face-down on the floor beside her. He smirked indulgently and walked over to her still form. Reaching out with his free hand, he shook her shoulder gently. "Grace," he said softly.

She mumbled something incomprehensible and curled up even more.

He tried again. "Grace." She would be miserable in the morning if she spent the entire night on the couch.

He met with no success. Rolling his eyes in defeat, he sat the plate and bottle on the floor, sliding his arms underneath Grace's limp form and picking her up. She laid her head on his shoulder and relaxed into him. He was glad she was petite- he had to carry her upstairs to get to her room. He moved carefully, avoiding the fifth stair from the bottom- he knew from experience that it creaked. Nudging her bedroom door open with his foot, he crossed the room and laid her down on the bed, struggling to control the tide of emotions that was threatening to overwhelm him. When he tried to disentangle himself from her, though, her arms wrapped tighter around his neck. "Don't leave," she whimpered, her eyes still closed.

"Grace," he protested. Her hands were fisted in his shirt; he tried to pry her fingers apart but was unable to break her grip. She brought one hand up to stroke his hair back from his face and kissed his cheek boldly. He froze when her lips brushed his skin. His heart began to race; he couldn't deny that he felt an immense attraction for her, but it didn't seem right.

"Don't," he said, as she opened her eyes, sliding up against him and pulling him closer. He was bending over the bed, one knee propped beside her, trying desperately to hold on to rational thought. "Gracie."

She made an appreciative noise at the nickname and kissed him full on the mouth. He groaned, pulling away. "Grace, don't. We can't do this."

Grace ran her fingers along his neck. "Why not?" Her breath was hot against his lips.

Sirius' resolve began to crumble as she slid her hands under his shirt and began skimming her fingertips over his chest. It had been fourteen years since someone had touched him like this, and her caresses burned like fire. He gripped her hand through his shirt. "Grace-"

When she kissed him again, he gave in, crawling onto the bed and letting her remove his shirt. His mouth crashed against hers as he allowed himself to become lost in the moment. Her mouth was warm, her lips were soft, and her kiss was passionate. Sirius couldn't think straight as she began fumbling with his belt. He stopped her and tugged off his trousers, placing soft kisses along her collarbone and reveling in the sounds she made as he traced a line of fire down her alabaster neck. He took the lead, encouraging her to moan with pleasure and grip his shoulders tightly with desperate fingers as he made love to her.

As he arrived at his orgasm, she began to moan beneath him. He knew she was reaching her pleasure, but was not prepared for the words that tumbled out of her mouth as she let go. "Reg!" she cried out. "Oh, my love, I've missed you so much…"

Sirius was unsure how to react. He finished awkwardly and laid down beside her on his back, pulling her naked body in close to his. She sighed happily at the warmth of his skin, laying her head on his shoulder and dozing off immediately.

Sirius stared at the ceiling for a very long time, looking for answers in the shadows.

**Uh-oh! What do you think? How is Sirius going to react?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ugh, final exams. The only thing that's keeping me from tearing my hair out is the fact that I am graduating this semester. So long, college! As a treat, here is the next chapter. :-) I haven't abandoned this story, I've just been busy getting my new one, Secrets of the Darkest Art, off the ground!**

Dawn broke, and Remus was startled awake by someone hammering on his bedroom door. "Moony," came an impatient voice.

He threw his robes on and opened the door to find Sirius standing there, looking decidedly exhausted and disheveled. "What happened to you?" he asked.

Sirius pushed past him into the room. As Remus closed the door, Sirius spun to face him. "I need to talk to you."

Remus crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. Twelve years of separation had done nothing to hurt their friendship, and he loved Sirius like a brother. Anything said between them would remain between them.

"I slept with Grace," Sirius admitted, the words tumbling out of his mouth in a rush.

Remus gave him a blank look. "Okay." He had long ago sensed the tension between them, and had resolved to stay out of the way. Considering Sirius' reputation while they were in school, he wasn't surprised. Actually, he was amazed that it had taken this long.

Sirius looked distraught. He ran a hand through his shaggy black hair and began to pace. "That's not the problem."

His friend waited patiently in silence.

Sirius turned to look at him, his expression one of defeat. "She called me 'Reg'."

Remus blinked. "What?"

"She was confused, I think. I mean, shit, Reg and I certainly look alike, and she was half-awake." Sirius had gone back to pacing the small space Remus called home. "I found her asleep in the library and I carried her up to her room- doing her a favor, you know? And the next thing I know, she's kissing me and practically begging me to get into bed with her."

"When did she-?" Remus left the rest of the sentence unspoken, not wanting to upset Sirius any more than was necessary.

Sirius sighed. "Right in the middle of everything."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Oh," was all he said.

His best friend's pacing was beginning to make him dizzy, but he knew better than to ask him to stop. It helped Sirius blow off steam, and he needed that now more than ever. Sirius ran a hand through his hair again, sighing. Suddenly, he let out a bark-like laugh. "Dammit all to hell, Moony," he burst out. "I'm falling in love with the girl, and she doesn't even know who I am!" He turned to face Remus, only to frown at his friend's expression. "What?"

Remus looked bemused. "I've never heard you say that word."

Sirius gave him a strange look. "What?" he asked again.

"Love," Remus explained, trying not to smile. "You've never- not in all the years I've known you…" He trailed off.

Sirius looked perplexed. "I- I hadn't really thought about it."

"Is that why you've kept your distance from her?" That explained a lot- Sirius was probably utterly mystified as to what his emotions meant, having never felt more than a passing interest for any woman in his life.

"I guess," Sirius said slowly. He passed a hand over his face, anguish twisting his handsome features. "I can't love her, Moony. She's Reg's wife. What the hell have I done?"

"She's a widow," Remus pointed out. "A widow who has been alone six times longer than she was ever married."

Sirius scoffed. "She still loves him the same as the day she married him, you know that."

Remus scratched his head thoughtfully. "Didn't you say something about that when we first got here? About how purebloods are supposed to take care of each other's widows?"

Sirius looked away, toying with a quill on Remus' desk. "Yes, that's to ensure the family doesn't lose the dowry or the chance to get a pureblooded heir."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "What does it matter if you actually care for the girl? It's your duty to see she's taken care of anyway, right? You're the only remaining male in the Black family. She can't object to you taking an interest in her welfare."

Sirius chewed on his lip thoughtfully. "I guess that makes sense," he admitted finally.

Remus walked over and put his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Have you talked to her?"

Sirius coughed nervously. "No, she was still asleep when I got up."

"So was I," Remus joked dryly, still irked at being dragged out of bed at dawn.

A guilty grin stole across Sirius' face. "Sorry, Moony," he apologized. "But I had to talk to someone-"

Remus shook his head. "No worries." He gave Sirius a gentle push towards the door. "Go talk to her."

"What do I say?" Sirius asked, slightly panicked.

His friend rolled his eyes. "Whatever you like, you idiot, just get out of my room!"

Sirius laughed and disappeared into the hallway. Remus grinned and shook his head, congratulating himself silently on his matchmaking skills.

* * *

Grace was already awake and dressed, and was sitting in the windowsill of her bedroom when Sirius returned. She looked over as the door creaked open, and he ran a hand through his hair nervously. When had he ever had trouble talking to women?

He cleared his throat. "Gracie, about last night-"

She looked away. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

He frowned, confused. "Why are _you_ sorry?"

She turned to face him again and raised an eyebrow. "I know what I said. I didn't mean to. It just- slipped out." She bit her lip and tucked a brown curl behind her ear. "God, Sirius, I miss him so much. It's been sixteen years, and I still feel like he disappeared yesterday."

Sirius looked flustered. "Oh." He walked over and knelt beside her, afraid to touch her again.

She turned to frown at him. "Were you going to apologize for something?"

He chuckled dryly. "Well, I was going to say that I'm sorry that I took advantage of you. When you- I realized you were half-asleep, and I feel like I violated a trust or something."

"I knew it was you, Sirius," she said bluntly.

He blinked. "So…?"

"I wanted you to touch me," she confessed softly. Her eyes filled with hot tears, which spilled over onto her cheeks. "I've been all alone in this creepy old house since your mother died. My parents and sister disappeared right after Voldemort came into power. I've had no one to talk to, no one to grieve with." She gave a watery sigh. "You understand somewhat. He was your brother, after all."

"Estranged brother," he corrected quietly, reaching out to gently wipe away a salty droplet with his thumb.

She stared at him sadly. "He missed you, Sirius. So much. He talked about you all the time."

"Really?" Sirius had thought that all memory of him had been erased from Grimmauld Place.

She laughed. "Did you really think he could just walk away from you? You were his brother." She reached down and took his hand in hers. "Reg didn't agree with all of the violence. He thought the Death Eaters had taken it too far when they started murdering people. His loyalty was to his family- his blood. That's why he got involved." She smiled. "He told me about the time he ran into you in a battle."

Sirius grinned at the thought. "I forgot about that." He frowned, thinking. "That was the last time I ever saw him."

Grace nodded. "It wasn't long after that that I caught him trying to scratch the Dark Mark off of his arm. I knew he'd changed his mind; I knew he was frightened by how quickly everything had snowballed into murder and the Dark Lord's quest for power. He never said anything to me directly, though. I think he wanted to protect me." She smiled to herself, twisting her wedding band around on her finger with her thumb. The diamond's sparkle reminded her of the way Regulus' grey eyes had glittered the day they were wed. She met Sirius' eye again. "After he'd decided he wanted out, he got very quiet and contemplative. He kept to himself a lot those last few days. He mentioned going to you once. I think he was afraid to bring Death Eaters to your door, though, if he sought sanctuary with the Order. And right after that, he disappeared."

Sirius looked sad. "He loved you, you know."

A strange silence fell between them. Grace sniffed. "What happens now?" she asked timidly.

Sirius sighed. "I guess we just take our time, see where this goes, what happens." He looked up at her, and she could see the resemblance to Regulus in his features- especially his eyes. They were grey and sad. "You know, traditionally, I'm supposed to be taking care of you, anyway," he said casually.

She smirked. "_Traditionally_, you would have married me immediately after Reg disappeared."

He let out a bark-like laugh. "Can you imagine my mother's face if I had showed up on her doorstep? Much less appearing out of the blue and asking to marry my little brother's widow?"

Grace had to laugh at the mental image his words conjured. It would have been a disaster. "She would have cursed you on sight." She paused, remembering Walburga's concern for her oldest son the day Regulus had come home injured. "She would have patched you up afterward and begged for forgiveness, though."

"You think?" Sirius sounded surprised. "Wow, losing Reg did a number on her, huh?"

"It hurt all of us," Grace told him. "Your father died not too long after we gave up looking for him."

Sirius nodded. "I heard about that. Reg was the favorite."

"He was the only one your parents had left," Grace pointed out.

He smiled sadly. "Good point." He rose to his feet and slid gracefully beside her onto the window seat. They sat there together for a very long time, each of them thinking their own thoughts. But Grace's hand remained securely in Sirius'.

**There will be another update soon, I promise! Reviews make me write faster! ;-)**


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